HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
A film review by Ben Hoffman
Copyright 1995 Ben Hoffman
It is hard to believe but Jodie Foster, a most talented young actress, has appeared in thirty-two films. When she further became a director, in the wonderful LITTLE MAN TATE, no one could deny that here was someone very special. So when HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS was about to be screened I could hardly wait. Sadly, the movie is very mediocre, to which we must add, even the best do not always succeed every time.
With a great cast and a brilliant director, the fault lies mostly with the story itself. My having spent many years at family gatherings at holidays, with Thanksgivings being the most memorable, and all of them joyful, it was difficult to relate to HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS where holiday gatherings where close relatives attended every year but wished they did not have to.
Claudia Larson (Holly Hunter) has just been a victim of "downsizing" (what an ugly euphemism!) at her job in an art gallery. Her 15-year-old daughter says she is not going to the Dinner but will stay home with her boy friend and "go all the way." With this and more on Claudia's mind and heart she takes a plane to her family in Baltimore.
Mom (Anne Bancroft) and Dad (Charles Durning) a most loving couple, are, as usual, the hosts. Eccentric Aunt Glady is there, as are Claudia's sister and brother-in-law and their children. Brother Tommy (Robert Downey, Jr.) is there, too, but only because Claudia felt she could not endure the gathering without him. He arrives with his gay friend, Leo Fish (Dylan McDermott) which astonishes most of the family who did not know about Robert and Leo.
Bickering abounds before, during and after dinner. Again, I found it hard to relate to that. And through it all, much of the dialogue (screenplay by W. D. Richter) seems as if most are speaking lines rather than real-life talk. It was difficult to warm up to the family and the movie. With all that was going on, there was nothing exciting to make me want to know what happened next. Nothing much did.
Directed by Jodie Foster.
2 bytes
4 Bytes = Superb
3 Bytes = Too good to be missed.
2 Bytes = So so.
1 Byte = Save your money.
-- Ben Hoffman
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